Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-12-30
GRANT AND LEE.
PRELlMlNARiES OF TIE MEETING AT
APPOMATTOx COURT HOUSE.

Gen. Grant Almost Taken Prisoner-A
Under the Apple Tree-The Meeting at
McLean's House.
on at trot towards Appomattox court
house. When five or six miles from town
Col. Newhall, Sheridan's adjutant general,
came riding up from the direction of Apo
mattox and handed the general a comnuni-
cation. This proved to be duplicate Of the
letter from Lee which Lieut. Pease had
brought in from Meades lines Lee was so
closely pressed that he was anxious to CON-
municate with Grant by the most direct;
means, and as he could not tell with which
column Grant was moving, he sent in one
copy of his letter on Meades front and one
On Sheridan's. Col. Newhall joined our
party, and after few minutes halt to read
the letter, we continued our ride towards
Appomattox. On the march had asked the
general several times how he felt. To the
same question now he said: ''The pain in
my head seemed to leave me the moment I
got Lees letter"
The road was filed with men, animals and
wagons and to avoid these and shorten the
distance, we turned slightly to the right and
began to ''cut across lots" but before going
far we spied men conspicuous in gray, and it
was seen that we were moving towards the
enenly's left flank and that a short ride
farther would take us into his lines It looked
for moment as if very awkward condi-
ton of things might possibly arise, and
Grant become prisoner in Lees lines in
stead of Lee in his. Such circumstance
10
entry in the system of campaign boolkeep-
ing. There was only one remedy-to retrace
our steps and strike the right road, which
was done without serious discussion. About
o'clock the little village of Appomattox
Court House with its half dozen houses came
in sight, and soon we were entering its single
street. 1t is situated on some rising ground,
and beyond the country slopes down into
broad valley. The enemy was seen with his
columns and wagon trains covering the low
ground. Our cavalry, the Fifth corps, ard
part of Ord's command We're occupying the
hign ground to the south and west Of the
enemy, heading him off completely.
GREETING PHIL SHERIDAN
Gems. Sheridan and Ord, with a group of
officers around them, were seen in the road,
and as our party came up, Gen. Grant said:
HOW are you, koliCIleletE.
':First rate, thank you, how are you?'
cried Sheridan with q voice and look that
seemed to indicate that on his part he was
having things all his own way.
''Is Lee over there?' asked Gen. Grant,
pointing up the street, having heard ru-
NOR that Lee was in that vicinity.
eyes he is in that brick house, answered
Sheridan.
all SOL
The general in chief now rode on, accom-
panied by Sheridan, Ord and some others,
and soon Col Babcock's orderly was seen sit
ting on his horse in the street in front of a
two story brick house, better in appearance
than the rest of the houses. He said Gen.
Lee and Col. Babcock had gone into this
house a short time BEFORE and he
was ordered to post himself in the
street and keep a lookout for Gen.
Grant, so as to let him know
where Gen. Lee was. Babcook told me after
ward that in carrying Gen. Grants last letter
he passed through the enelnys lines and
found Gen. Lee little more than half Il mile
beyond Appomattox Court House. He was
lying down by the roadside On blanket,
which had been spread over a few fence rails
on the ground under an apple tree, which was
part of an orchard. This circumstance fur
nished the only ground for the widespread re-
port that the surrender occurred under an
apple tree Babcoci1 disnounted upon COM
ing hear, and as he approached on foot Lee
sat up, with his feet hanging over the roadside
anbankrneat The wheels Of the wagons in
passing along the road had cut away the earth
Of this ernbanknent and left the roots of the
tree projecting. Lees feet were partly resting
on these roots. One of his staff officers came
forward, took the dispatch which Babcock
handed him and gave it to Gen. Lee. After
reading it the general rose and said he would
ride forward on the road ON which Babcock
had come, but was apprehensive that HOSTILE
lies might begin in the meantime upon the
termination of the temporary truce, and asked
Babcock to write line to Meade informing
him of the situation. Babcock wrote accord
ingly, requesting Meade to maintain the
truce until positive orders from Gen. Grant
could be received.